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Valentine's Day frenzy

Photo by Dan Balmer Peninsula Clarion Debbie Morris (front) and Tonya Gilmore prepare ordered flower arrangements at Tammy's Flowers and Gifts in Soldotna Thursday. Morris runs the Candy Botique in the shop with the help of her husband Mike. The two have been married for 42 years and met in high school when she used to work at a flower shop in Oregon, Morris said.

Photo by Dan Balmer Peninsula Clarion Kim Mariman, owner of Tammy's Flowers and Gifts in Soldotna, stands in the cooler with all the preordered flower bouquets Thursday in preperation for Valentine's Day. She said she ordered 5,000 stems and has already sold 600 dozen roses. Valentine's Day is the shop's busiest day of the year.

For all those last minute shoppers, it is not too late to pick out a gift for your valentine.

Kim Mariman, owner of Tammy’s Flowers and Gifts for the last four years, said while she has already sold out 600 dozen roses, she has plenty of jewelry, candy, flowers, cards and balloons available.

Mariman said she ordered 5,000 stems in preparation for Valentine’s Day, the busiest day of the year for the shop. Four vans will make 300 deliveries in nine hours around the central peninsula Friday. With a staff of only four employees, she said she brings in more hands to handle the extra work.

“I could not have done it without the hard work from my holiday helpers,” she said. “They meticulously clean every flower and put arrangements together.”

Mariman said they probably do one arrangement a minute based on each of their preordered deliveries.

One of her designers, Debbie Morris, runs the Candy Boutique, which has an assortment of chocolates and candy, another Valentine gift staple.

Her husband Mike Morris also helps her stock the shelves. The two have been married for 42 years.

Morris said he first met his wife when she worked at flower shop in Oregon.

“She is tired of flowers and candy so she picked out four pieces of jewelry at Fred Meyer and I get to choose one for her,” he said. “So there is some surprise.”